A little birdie told me ... he'd like to stay.

• Position: Your Life

With spring in full swing and birds back from migration, the National Audubon Society, New York, invites nature enthusiasts to grow bird-friendly native plants at home. Through Audubon's Plants for Birds public online database, anyone nationwide can access a list of native plants that benefit their favorite local bird species by just typing in their zip code.

"Did you know that 96% of land birds feed insects and spiders to their chicks? A single nest of chickadee babies may scarf down as many as 9,000 caterpillars before they fledge. Native tree species are better for birds because they host many more caterpillars; native oaks support more than 550 kinds of butterflies and moths. Non-native Ginkgo trees?--only five," says Tod Winston, Plants for Birds program associate.

Gardens are outdoor sanctuaries for birds, insects, and other wildlife. Every spring, birds visit our yards looking for nourishment from gardens and places to raise their chicks. By adding native plants to one's yard, balcony, container garden, rooftop, or public space, anyone, anywhere not only can attract more birds, but give them the best chance of survival in the face of climate change and urban development.

A number of landscaping plants available in nurseries are exotic species from other countries. Many are prized for qualities that make them poor food sources for wildlife. They generally also require more chemicals and water to thrive, increasing...